Bacon carton



Dec. -6, 1960 w. R. SAIDEL ETAL 2,963,215

BACON CARTON Filed June 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I zo zo I i0 INVENTORS WILL/AM 1?. 534/054 JOSEPH M HE/6L BY may;

ATTOR/V' Dec. 6, 1960 w. R. SAlDEL ETAL BACON CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1956 WILL/AM R. SA/DEL JOSEPH M #15761 INVENTORS' ATTORNEY BACON CARTON William R. Saidel, Chicago, and Joseph M. Heigl, Park Forest, 11]., assignors to Swift & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 22, 1956, Ser. No. 593,268

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates in general to improvements in the art of packaging and more particularly to improvements in folding cantons adapted to enclose and conform generally to the shape of the enclosed product.

In the packaging of food products such as bacon, sliced beef and other materials packed in fiat layer-type packages, it is important that the package present a neat and attractive appearance and be convenient for consumer use.

Other considerations are convenience in stacking by the retailer in order to present an attractive display, and the ease with which product may be wrapped by the manufacturer. The use of a package which may be set up and sealed on automatic heat sealing machines insures economical production and increased sanitation as a consequence of a decrease in operator handling of the product.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved package folder adapted to contain a layer of merchandise, such as bacon slices, in a compact, easily stored unit which may be sealed on automatic machinery.

Products which are marketed in the form of a layer of slices, such as bacon, have been packaged heretofore by placing a stack of bacon slices on a card and completely enclosing the card and bacon with a snug-fitting overwrap of transparent wrapping material. The package thus formed, although compact and attractive in that the product is visible, has a number of shortcomings. Protection of the product after several slices have been removed is very difficult and usually requires that the package be covered with wax paper or other film material before it is stored in the refrigerator. In addition, since there are no upstanding walls on the package, the bacon slices provide the only support for other packages stacked on the package in storage or shipping, and, as a result, deformation of the package results.

An improvement over the simple card-type package is the more recent partial-overlap type package which consists of a backing member scored in such a fashion that one side and one end of the backing member is folded along and overlaps one side and one end of the product. These packages, like the card type referred to previously, are completely enclosed in an hermetically sealed overwrap of thermoplastic film. While the partital-overlap type package represents an improvement over the card type, at least insofar as resistance against crushing is concerned, the problem resulting from the difliculty in storing after a portion of the package has been used up remains.

It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide a bacon folder adapted to be folded about and completely enclose a layer of bacon slices.

A further object of this invention is to provide a package of bacon in which the bacon is placed in a layer of semi-superimposed slices on a relatively rigid backing member which is scored and folded to provide a neat States Patent ice one-piece wrapper which conforms to the contour of the bacon mass.

Additional objects, if not specifically set forth herein, will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank in unfolded condition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a package of product showing how the blank is folded to conform to the shape of the product.

In the embodiment shown herein, a blank generally 10 of paperboard or other equivalent suitable material is scored transversely of the length thereof by two pairs of substantially parallel score lines 11, 12, 13, and 14, each pair of which converges inwardly adjacent the longitudinal edges of the blank and intersects to form pillowshaped side walls 15 and 16. These score lines also serve to divide the blank into a top portion 17, a bottom portion 18, and a tuck or closure flap 19.

The closure flap is provided with a locking slit formed by cut 20 which defines a slit adapted to cooperate in tongue and groove fashion with a locking tongue 22 on the top panel portion to provide means for securing the blank in a closed position.

A die cut window 23 is provided in the top panel portion of the folder. This window which provides for visual inspection of the product is preferably covered on the inside of the blank with a sheet of transparent flexible film which is adhesively secured to the blank. Films which may be employed as covering for the window include cellophane, rubber hydrochloride, polyester films or any other satisfactory greaseproof transparent film material having a high gloss, low water adsorption and resistance to stretching and wrinkle development. A polystyrene film of approximately 1 mil thickness has been found to have these desirable characteristics.

Inwardly of each longitudinal edge of the blank are a pair of parallel score lines 24 and 25 which run parallel to the edge. The innermost scores have been employed advantageously to define the limits of the area on the backing member within which the bacon is to be kept. The outermost score on each side in conjunction with the edge of the blank form adhesive areas 26 and 27. In addition to defining the product containing area and the portions which are coated with adhesive, the aforementioned score lines provide increased flexibility in insuring that the blank conform to the contour of the enclosed product. In one embodiment of this invention, the outermost score line 25 is perforated in the top panel portion. The perforated scores, shown as 33, provide very convenient means for opening the package without breaking the adhesive seal. A tear-up flap is thus provided allowing for increased convenience and protection of the product during storage.

The back, front and wall portions are scored at the edges thereof at 28, 29, 30 and 31 to facilitate folding of the blank around the product to form a unitary package.

The package is formed by placing a predetermined number of strips 32, such as bacon, in partially superimposed relationship on the bottom panel portion of the blank. The blank is of such a size that a desired quantity of slices, such as a pound or a half-pound of slices, substantially fills the area defined by score lines 11, 13, and the innermost longitudinal score lines 24 The slices are disposed in shingle fashion so that a generally fiat rectangular layer results which has a substantial thickness throughout the center thereof and tapers to a thin edge toward the longitudinal margin. The top panel port-ion of the blank is then folded over the mass of bacon and the side wall 15 assumes a substantially vertical position enclosing one end of the layer of product. The closure flap 19 is also folded over the face of the product, causing side wall 16 to enclose the other end of the product. The closure flap is secured to the top panel portion by means of the tongue in groove fastener. The longitudinal edges which have been coated with a thermoresponsive adhesive in the adhesive area defined by longitud-inal score lines 25 and the edges of the carton are then heat-sealed to completely enclose the product into a compact package. This heat sealing operation is well adapted to machine operation.

In using the package, the cooperative tongue in groove fastener is opened and the top portion is lifted to obtain the desired number of slices. Lifting of the top portion causes the package to tear along score lines 33 forming a tear-away flap. After use the fastener is closed and a. folder is provided which protects the product from deterioration. There is thus provided a compact package in which the blank is scored and creased in such a fashion that substantial conformance with the contour of the enclosed product is insured. In addition, greater protection of the product during storage is insured.

Although the blank described herein has been described in connection with the packaging of bacon, it should be apparent that it is not necessarily so limited since any material which may be advantageously packaged in similar shape or form may be packaged in the blank.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims. For example, the die cut window 23 may be eliminated, pressure sensitive adhesive might be used rather than the therrno-responsive adhesive, etc.

We claim:

1. A bacon folder comprising a generally rectangular paperboard blank having two pairs of essentially parallel score lines running transversely of the length of said blank to define top and bottom sections and side wall and closure flap portions, each pair of score lines converging inwardly and intersecting adjacent the outer edges of the top and bottom sections to describe a side wall having a generally rectangular shape throughout the length thereof and tapering toward the end of said package and perforations in said blank along lines generally parallel to the longitudinal edges of said blank and extending inwardly thereof to the intersection of said score lines 4 whereby to free said top from said closure flap and said bottom section.

2. A paperboard blank adapted to contain and closely conform to the shape of a layer of bacon slices arranged in semi-superimposed relationship, which comprises a generally rectangular blank scored transversely of the longer dimension to define top and bottom panel portions, side wall portions and a closure flap, said top portion being provided with a die cut window covered with a sheet of greaseproof transparent material, said side walls tapering from a relatively thick depth at the midpoint thereof to a thin edge along the longitudinal margins of said blank, said longitudinal margins being provided with an adhesive material whereby said margins may be secured, perforated lines of weakness inwardly of said margins on said top portion whereby to provide for freeing said portion, and interlocking means on said top portion adapted to cooperate with complementary means on said closure flap whereby said folder may be secured in a closed position.

3. A carton blank adapted to contain and closely conform to the shape of a layer of food product slices arranged in semisuperimposed relationship, which comprises a generally rectangular blank scored transversely of the longer dimension to define top and bottom panel portions, side wall portions and a closure flap, said side walls being defined by a pair of score lines essentially parallel throughout their length and converging inwardly to a point of intersection to provide side walls corresponding to the shape of the semisuperimposed slices, adhesively scalable margins along the longitudinal edges of said blank to close the edges about a food product, the top panel portion being tearably separable along a perforated line spaced inwardly of said margins whereby the sealed package may be opened, and interlocking means on said top portion adapted to cooperate with complementary means on said closure flap whereby said folder may be secured in a closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,509 Goodyear Oct. 22, 1940 2,282,207 Pahner May 5, 1942. 2,333,943 Levkofi Nov. 9, 1943 2,465,841 Bonini Mar. 29, 1949 2,508,962 Moore May 23, 1950 2,565,976 Mayer et a1. Aug. 28, 1951 2,753,107 Ringler July 3, 1956 2,826,296 Mullinix Mar. 11, 1958 

